Minneapolis capturing: 8-year-old and 10-year-old killed, 17 others harm at Catholic faculty

An 8-year-old and 10-year-old sitting in pews have been killed when a shooter opened fireplace via the home windows of a church on the Annunciation Catholic College in Minneapolis on Wednesday morning, police mentioned.

Seventeen others have been injured within the capturing throughout a Mass that marked the primary week of college, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara mentioned.

Fourteen of the injured victims have been youngsters ages 6 to fifteen, and the three adults who have been shot have been parishioners of their 80s, he mentioned. All of these injured are anticipated to outlive, O’Hara mentioned.

The shooter died on the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, O’Hara mentioned. The FBI recognized the shooter as 23-year-old Robin Westman, who was born Robert Westman.

Driver’s license info reviewed by ABC Information described Westman as a feminine, born on June 17, 2002. A reputation change utility for a minor born on the identical date, June 17, 2002, was accepted by a district court docket in Minnesota in 2020, altering the identify of a Robert Westman to Robin Westman, explaining the minor youngster “identifies as a feminine and desires her identify to replicate that identification.”

The mass capturing unfolded simply earlier than 8:30 a.m. when the shooter approached the aspect of the constructing and fired a rifle via the church home windows towards the youngsters and different worshippers sitting within the pews, O’Hara mentioned.

Dozens of rounds have been fired, the chief mentioned, and he referred to as it a “deliberate act of violence towards harmless youngsters and different folks worshipping.”

“Inside seconds” of the gunfire, the “heroic workers moved college students underneath the pews,” the Annunciation Parish and College mentioned in an announcement. The scholars and workers have been evacuated “in a matter of minutes when it was secure to take action,” the college mentioned.

The suspect was armed with a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol, and police imagine photographs have been fired from all three weapons, the chief mentioned. All three weapons have been bought legally and lately, police mentioned.

A doable smoke bomb was additionally found on the crime scene, the chief mentioned.

Weston, a 10-year-old fifth-grader on the faculty, mentioned he was sitting subsequent to a stained glass window the shooter fired via.

“It was proper beside me. I used to be like 2 toes away from the stained glass window. So, the photographs have been proper subsequent to me,” Weston instructed Minneapolis ABC affiliate KSTP.

The boy mentioned he and his classmates instantly hid underneath a pew because the gunfire continued.

“My buddy acquired hit within the again. He went to the hospital,” mentioned Weston, who spoke to KSTP with the permission of his grandfather. “I used to be tremendous scared for him, however I feel he is OK.”

He mentioned he and his classmates have been taken to the college health club, the place they waited for the information of what had simply occurred.

Weston mentioned his mom was exterior the church when the capturing erupted, and was the primary individual he noticed when he emerged from the church.

“I used to be scared that I wasn’t going to see her as a result of I didn’t know what was occurring. I used to be simply in shock,” Weston mentioned.

Throughout a information convention, an emotional Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey mentioned, “These youngsters have been actually praying. It was the primary week of college. They have been in a church. These are youngsters that must be studying with their mates, they need to be enjoying on the playground. They need to be capable of go to highschool or church in peace with out the concern or danger of violence, and their mother and father ought to have the identical sort of assurance.”

“This type of act of evil ought to by no means occur, and it occurs far too typically,” he mentioned.

Frey confused at a second information convention, “Anyone who’s utilizing this as a chance to villainize our trans neighborhood, or every other neighborhood on the market, has misplaced their sense of frequent humanity. We shouldn’t be working out of a spot of hate.”

“Youngsters died at present,” he continued. “This must be about them. This must be wrapping our arms round these households.”

College students in pre-Ok to eighth grade attend the college. Younger youngsters carrying their uniforms have been seen leaving the college holding their mother and father’ arms.

“Minnesota is heartbroken,” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz wrote on social media. “From the officers responding, to the clergy and lecturers offering consolation, to the hospital workers saving lives, we are going to get via this collectively. Hug your youngsters shut.”

Police mentioned they imagine the shooter acted alone.

FBI Director Kash Patel mentioned the FBI is investigating the capturing as an act of home terrorism and a hate crime concentrating on Catholics, however police mentioned a motive will not be recognized.

“We’re , clearly, any potentialities,” police mentioned.

Legislation enforcement is investigating social media accounts believed to be related to the shooter, particularly a video posted earlier Wednesday on YouTube, sources aware of the matter instructed ABC Information. The video exhibits somebody flipping via dozens of pages of notes, which embrace what seems to be drawings of weapons and one drawing depicting the within of a church with pews.

One pocket book has a sticker that claims “defend equality” with a silhouette of an extended gun, and one sticker references a German band that was widespread with the Columbine shooters. The band has beforehand denounced any such violence.

The YouTube video has been taken down, the police chief mentioned.

A scholar on the faculty instructed KTSP that she was within the church when she all of a sudden heard a loud noise that she initially thought was fireworks.

“After which I noticed the capturing and I used to be like, ‘Oh my gosh, I am so scared,'” mentioned the woman, who didn’t need her identify revealed.

She mentioned a trainer led her and her buddy downstairs to hunt shelter in a preschool classroom.

“Me and my buddy … have been simply praying and praying,” she mentioned. “I used to be identical to praying all people might be secure and like no one would do that once more.”

President Donald Trump wrote on Fact Social that he is been “totally briefed on the tragic capturing.”

“The White Home will proceed to observe this horrible state of affairs. Please be part of me in praying for everybody concerned!” he wrote.

Trump referred to as Walz after the capturing to supply his condolences, a supply instructed ABC Information.

Trump has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff till Sunday.

After the capturing, former President Barack Obama spoke out about gun violence, writing on social media, “We won’t permit ourselves to turn into numb to mass shootings. What occurred at present in Minneapolis is heartbreaking, and Michelle and I are praying for the mother and father who’ve misplaced a baby or will likely be sitting at their hospital bedside after yet one more act of unspeakable, pointless violence.”

Former President Joe Biden wrote, “Jill and I are heartbroken and there are merely no phrases to adequately mark such a horrific and painful second.”

“With all our hearts, we’re praying for the victims, their households, and the neighborhood of Minneapolis,” he mentioned.

This can be a growing story. Please verify again for updates.

ABC Information’ Pierre Thomas, Jack Date, Luke Barr, Aaron Katersky, Sasha Pezenik and Michael Pappano contributed to this report.